Igniter for miners&#39; lamps.



L. D. VAUGHN & T. MILLER. IGNITBR FOR MINERS LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.12, 1911.

Patented J an. 20, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANCIGRAI'H "0., WASHINGTON. 0, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZO D. VAUGHN AND THEODORE MILLER, OF GRAFTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

IGNITER FOR MINERS LAMPS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LOREN zo D. VAUGHN and THEODORE MILLER, citizens of the United States, residing at Grafton, in the county of Taylor and State of WVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Igniters for Miners Lamps; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in igniters, and is designed to improve devices now used in connection with miners lamps.

Heretofore in miners lamps the magnesium tape having ignition caps thereon has been used which is fed and ignited adjacent to the wick of the lamp. It has been found by experience that when the apparatus becomes damp the tape is often fed into the body of the lamp without the ignition of a number of consecutive caps after which the same is ignited, thus burning the fed tape and creating a great deal of smoke within the body of the lamp thereby extinguishing the flame or cracking the glass surrounding the same and admitting gas into the flame chamber, thereby causing many of the explosions which occur at the present time in mines.

The present invention provides a positive means of lighting the wick without the use of tape or other similar material and reduces the necessity of re-charging the igniter to an absolute minimum.

WVith the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a miners lamp, parts thereof being broken away to illustrate the present invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of an oil cup illustrating the cooperation between the wick and the igniting device forming the subject matter of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the support ing plate of the igniter, whereby the same is secured to the Wick tube; and Fig. 1 is a section taken along line 1-4t of Fig. 1, illus- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 12, 1911.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

Serial No. 665,265.

trating the details of the feed of the spark producing material.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A indicates generally a miners lamp provided with an oil cup 10 and the wick tube 11, adjacent to which is located the tube 12, wherein operates the raising and lowering mechanism of the wick, said tube 12 being covered by a plate 13 which acts as a stop upon the upward movement of the igniter forming the subject matter of the present invention. Asupporting plate 14 provided with the semi-circularly curved extension 15 which is mounted upon the tube 12 through the instrumentality of the said extension which embraces said tube. A screw 16 pierces the extension 15 adjacent to the plate 14: and is adjustable in such a manner that said screw may be projected through said extension and operate in the channel formed between the wick tube 11 and the tube 12. The upper end of the plate 14 is provided with the internally threaded orifice 17 in which is secured an externally threaded tube 18 at the outer terminal of which is formed the parallel arms 19 the utility of which will hereinafter be more fully described. A cap 20 is threaded upon the tube 18 and increases or decreases the tension upon the spring 21 mounted in said casing. The block or strip of suitable igniting compound 22 is mounted within the tube 18 and projects between the arms 19, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4.

A vertical shaft 23 is rotatably mounted in a tube 2% extending through the oil cup 10 from the top thereof to the bottom, said shaft being provided with the reduced extension 25 which is rotatably mounted or swiveled in the arms 19. A suitable serrated hard steel wheel or ear 26 is rigidly mounted upon the reduced extension 25 of the shaft 23 and provides a means whereby a spark is created when said shaft is rotated, impartin a similar motion to the serrated or toothed wheel or gear 26, causing the same to operate against the spark producing material 22, such as pyro a compound originating from pyrite sulfid.

It will be noted by referring to Figs. 1 and 2, that the wheel 26, and, in fact, the entire mechanism, due to the arrangement of the extension 15 is located in close proximity with respect to the wick tube 11, thus insuring the first spark created igniting the wick..

The shaft 23 is provided with a removable head 27 which, when removed, permits the shaft to be withdrawn from the tube 24, and when attached to the shaft provides a means whereby said shaft may be rotated to create a spark in the manner heretofore described. Furthermore, it will be noted by referring to Fig. 1, that the extension 15 can reciprocate upon the tube 12, this play being provided in order that the wheel 26 will not be located adjacent to the flame and lose its temper by reason thereof.

When it is desired to light the lamp a pressure is applied on the head 27, thus raising the entire mechanism, said head operating against the lower terminal of the tube 24, thereby preventing any gas from entering the said tube and consequently the flame chamber. In order to likewise pre vent gas from entering the lamp when the device is in the position as illustrated in Fig. 1, a collar 28'. is provided adjacent to the upper terminal of the shaft 2 3' and rests against the upper terminal of the tube 24:.

Though the present invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with miners lamps, it may be used as an igniter for any gas, kerosene or other lamps.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

In a mine lamp, the combination with an oil reservoir, of a wick tube, a raising and lowering mechanism tube adjacent said wick tube, a tube passing through said oil reservoir, a shaft mounted for reciprocation in said third mentioned tube, means for preventing gases from entering the interior of the lamp arranged adjacent the upper end of the third mentioned tube and surrounding the shaft, a bracket adjustably mounted upon said wick and raising and lowering mechanism tubes, a serrated wheel keyed to the upper end of said shaft, a spark creating material carried by said bracket and adapted to be projected against the said serrated wheel, and means arranged near the upper end of the raising and lowering mechanism to limit the upward adjustment of the bracket.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

LORENZO D. VAUGHN. THEODORE MILLER.

Vitnesses W. P. SAMPLES, LUTHER B. HILDENBRAND.

Copies of this patent may be, obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

